What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Statement from pilot-
Pilot departed private airstrip at 1435 and flew towards kenai river and made a right hand turn. At this time the pilot reported that she experienced a control lock and could not return controls to the neutral position. Elevator and aileron control was locked and could not be corrected with rudder.
Pilot stated radio contact was made to report the situation .
The aircraft then started descent in a right hand turn until it contacted the ground on the bank of the kenai river.
Narrative derived from information provided by pilot in a written statement.
An investigation of aircraft wreckage was conducted. Damage to the aircraft was substantial. The fuselage, wings, engine and propeller sustained damage. Only the rear empennage appeared undamaged.
The pilot injuries were considered serious. She suffered multiple lacerations and breaks in lower right leg.
In a statement obtained from the pilot, just prior to the accident, she experienced a ?control lock? While executing a right hand turn. Ailerons and elevator were jammed resulting in a continual spiral down until aircraft contacted the ground.
When the aircraft control system continuity check was performed by FAA and NTSB investigation teams, the flight controls operated freely. No definitive cause could be determined.
Interviews were conducted. Other than the pilot, no other witness could comment on phase of flight prior to accident.
Minor log book issues were identified during the investigation and were corrected on the spot by aircraft owner.
Upon completion of investigation, FOD in the aft floor cavity where the control tube is attached is suspect cause.
The aircraft pilotprivacy data omitted cover previously installed, but it had broken and was removed prior to accident. A new cover will be installed after aircraft re-build.
As the FAA filed it
STATEMENT FROM PILOT-
PILOT DEPARTED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AT 1435 AND FLEW TOWARDS KENAI RIVER AND MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHE EXPERIENCED A CONTROL LOCK AND COULD NOT RETURN CONTROLS TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. ELEVATOR AND AILERON CONTROL WAS LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE CORRECTED WITH RUDDER.
PILOT STATED RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE TO REPORT THE SITUATION .
THE AIRCRAFT THEN STARTED DESCENT IN A RIGHT HAND TURN UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE GROUND ON THE BANK OF THE KENAI RIVER.
NARRATIVE DERIVED FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED BY PILOT IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT.
AN INVESTIGATION OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, ENGINE AND PROPELLER SUSTAINED DAMAGE. ONLY THE REAR EMPENNAGE APPEARED UNDAMAGED.
THE PILOT INJURIES WERE CONSIDERED SERIOUS. SHE SUFFERED MULTIPLE LACERATIONS AND BREAKS IN LOWER RIGHT LEG.
IN A STATEMENT OBTAINED FROM THE PILOT, JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, SHE EXPERIENCED A ?CONTROL LOCK? WHILE EXECUTING A RIGHT HAND TURN. AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE JAMMED RESULTING IN A CONTINUAL SPIRAL DOWN UNTIL AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND.
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CONTROL SYSTEM CONTINUITY CHECK WAS PERFORMED BY FAA AND NTSB INVESTIGATION TEAMS, THE FLIGHT CONTROLS OPERATED FREELY. NO DEFINITIVE CAUSE COULD BE DETERMINED.
INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED. OTHER THAN THE PILOT, NO OTHER WITNESS COULD COMMENT ON PHASE OF FLIGHT PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.
MINOR LOG BOOK ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE INVESTIGATION AND WERE CORRECTED ON THE SPOT BY AIRCRAFT OWNER.
UPON COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATION, FOD IN THE AFT FLOOR CAVITY WHERE THE CONTROL TUBE IS ATTACHED IS SUSPECT CAUSE.
THE AIRCRAFT PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ COVER PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED, BUT IT HAD BROKEN AND WAS REMOVED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. A NEW COVER WILL BE INSTALLED AFTER AIRCRAFT RE-BUILD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.